No More $10 Messaging 1000 SMS plan for AT&T

AT&T has decided to update its messaging options and on August 21st its $10 Messaging 1000 plan, which gives you 1,000 text messages a month, will be retired. The only option then available is the Messaging Unlimited plan which doubles the price to $20. Current customers taking advantage of the Messaging 1000 plan can relax for a while though, as AT&T is allowing you to continue using it for the remainder of your contract.

AT&T’s reasoning for this is that unlimited texting offers better value and the “vast majority” of messaging customers opt for unlimited anyway. The amount of customers AT&T has on its books means even a minority of users accounts for thousands of people that will be forced to start paying more for their messaging sooner or later. Chances are quite a few of them will look to other networks for a better deal.

Checking on Verizon Wireless there is the option to pay $10 for messaging on a single-line plan, but that gets you just 500 messages. Family SharePlans include the same 500 for $10, but also includes unlimited mobile to mobile messaging. Unlimited messaging costs the same as AT&T at $20, and on prepaid plans that’s the only option.